Tags

Mesoraco went into Monday's game on a career-high nine-game hitting streak. He's hit in all nine games he's played. And it hasn't been a hit-a-day streak. Mesoraco has had four two-hit games and two three-hit games. His slash line was .515/.553/.970 with three home runs and 11 RBI entering Monday.

The logical question is when does Mesoraco move up in the lineup. He's been hitting seventh behind Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick.

"Anything is possible," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We certainly know that Frazier's going to start to swing the bat like he did earlier in the season. We're not concerned about that. There's guys who are going to have a little bit of ebb and flow with the way they swing the bat. That's just baseball."

"If there comes a time when there's injury or some significant long-term struggle, we may make some adjustments. But, right now, I kind of like the flow of the lineup as it is. And I like having some weaponry at the bottom."

Mesoraco obviously would to hit higher, but he's OK with seventh.

"I'm a guy who likes to drive in runs, who likes to score runs," he said. "If you're in the middle of the lineup you may more opportunity to do that. But I've had a lot of opportunity already with guys on base. Luddy and Fraz are swinging the bat pretty good in front of me.

"It's not like I'm coming up with nobody on base. I like to help the team score runs. If being in the middle of the order will do that, maybe that's something we'll look at. But right now, I'm comfortable where I'm at."

Mesoraco knows the torrid streak will end.

"It seems like every ground ball I hit finds a hole," he said. "You know that at some point, you're going square up some line drives and have them go right to the shortstop or the left fielder."

Mesoraco and new hitting coach Don Long talked about some adjustments in the offseason.

"It wasn't anything huge," Mesoraco said. "Me and Don identified some things. We talked more than anything. We wanted to get more athletic and not as mechanical as I have been in the past."

Mesoraco started the year on the disabled list with a oblique strain. He went to Double-A Pensacola for rehab. The manager there, Delino DeShields, gave him a tip.

"It was coming during spring training," he said. "It was close, then alking with Delino a little bit, he told to stand little more upright and see how it feels. I started to stand upright and sink into my swing. That really freed everything up and allowed me to be more athletic. I think you have to give him some credit."